An Oklahoma House Committee has approved, and sent on to the full House, a measure lessening the penalties for cockfighting. Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly outlawed cocking in 2002.
Southern Oklahoma Republican Justin Humphrey sponsored the measure. Humphrey feels the penalty is too strict. He wants it lowered from felony to misdemeanor.
He says Oklahoma has recently lowered the penalties for drug possession and should do the same for growing chickens to fight. He says the current law is “out of kilter”.
The federal animal protection act, however, makes it a felony to fight any animals.